Sail Past

[higgs]

I would be curious to hear opinion of those of you whose YC does a sail past. We do and make it a big affair. We dress in blazers, work to get our new members onto someone's boat for the parade. Many boat owners spend several hours cleaning and getting their brag flags sorted out and flying. We hire a bagpiper to go aboard the commodore's to perform while the fleet parades past. Wine and beer is served free of charge and the event, where the commodore is to review the fleet, is always well attended.

The night before (Fri) a rumor was cirlculating around the club bar that our Commodore might miss the event as he was on an 80 mile race that started 6 pm on Friday night. No one had any official word. Sat came and we all spruced up our boats, but now the word was more definate, the Commodore was on the race. He made no arrangements with anyone for contingency plans.

The race was a light air affair and he missed the ceremony. As you can imagine, this is a bit of controversy at the club. Some feel he neglected his duty as commodore and some feel it was good for him to represent the club in the race, though he did not sail his boat,b ut crewed on a boat from another club.

I am interested to hear opinions on this. Please be sure to clarify if you belong to YC as if one is not familiar with this event, one would look at it differently.

 

[Richard Bryer]

We do sail past at the National Yacht Club much as you do on the other side. We don't have to hire a piper as we have 2 at least as members. However we do have to buy our own drinks.
I believe the sailpast is a sufficiently traditional event that the commodore should absolutely be there. to miss it because he was CREWING on another boat is inexcusable. Who salutes the fleet?

 

[Rick D]

Yea, he or she blew it. Disrespectful to the club to miss the event.
Having said that, if the race was unusually light, he/she could be forgiven, but with some penance.

 

[finding41]

He didn't show up! I hope the past Commodore was there to take his place.
Our club does it. This was my first time and found it kind of lacking in the area of being formal. We did sail by smallest to the largest boat and salute, but there were only about 15 boats! That's not even 10% of the membership...
There was free wine and cheese afterwards that was attended by about 20% of the membership.
Today we had the 3rd annual fathers day breakfast and poker run. (It rained so no sailing. We played games in the clubhouse in boat teams.) The turnout was about as good as the wine and cheese.

 

[Ken Palmer]

I am a Past Commodore of the Genesee Yacht Club on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. I cannot remember ever going to to a Fleet Review without the Commodore being there to salute the passing boats. I suppose that if the Commodore could not make the event, he or she should arrange for another Flag Officer to do the honors. We don't have bagpipes, but we do have a small cannon that that makes a big bang for every passing boat. We always have a picnic after our Fleet Review, and both events are well attended (without free beer or wine). Before the Fleet Review, there is a Memorial Day ceremony. Be have a trumpet player that does a great job honoring our servicemen and women by playing service anthems of the Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force.

 

[higgs]

I think our commodore kind of slapped us in the face, but I also understand his love for the sport and that he thought he could get the race done in time to get to the ceremony. As commodore, I think he should have forgone the race to be sure he made the ceremony, which, after all, was honoring him. At least he missed the ceremony to be sailing. I can forgive and forget, but I think we gotta make him feel the heat a little bit.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Commodore, shmaodore. It seems to me a simple matter of courtesy to the club and the members. Heck, haven't we all had to reschedule a business meeting somewhere along the way? Stuff happens. But this is something he knew about, the possibility being that it could be a light wind event. Plan Ahea....d.

I once asked an employee how long it would take him to finish a repetitive job he had been doing for three days, knowing full well how long he'd taken and how much he had left. No clue! Then I asked him when and where his next vacation was going to be. Three months ahead and knew exactly where he was going, and how long it would be! :cussing:

I think your conclusions are right, but perhaps having a discussion offline privately with him personally would obtain better results than doing it in public. Heck, didn't they invent "committees" just for this purpose?

Good luck, you have a reasonable issue for your concern.

 

[higgs]

Good comments Stu. I will share my opinions with club members and with the Commodore if asked. Beyond that, it is time to move on.

 

[Flyboy69]

We do sail past at the National Yacht Club much as you do on the other side. We don't have to hire a piper as we have 2 at least as members. However we do have to buy our own drinks.
I believe the sailpast is a sufficiently traditional event that the commodore should absolutely be there. to miss it because he was CREWING on another boat is inexcusable. Who salutes the fleet?

Absolutely inexcuseable...... Our club has a very informal sailpast but it is still a sailpast and he should have designated, in his absence, either the Past or Vice to take the review.